Prince Justus and the Rogue

Gracia POV

My father is a cruel and abusive man. His love has always come with a twist. I have to guess his next mood, move, and question before he does so I’m always one step ahead of him. His home was his castle and ours was a cage. Father would often beat me with his leather belt across my back, punch me in the face, and throw whatever was handy at me for the smallest of infractions. He would get angry if the house wasn’t cleaned to his standard, if I cooked something for dinner that he didn’t want, or if his laundry wasn’t done when he wanted it done.

Mother died giving birth to my younger sister, Cecily, she is eight years younger than me. Father wouldn’t give her any attention at all. I’ve had to raise her as my own since she was an infant. I was even the one that named her. So, on top of everything else I now had to raise a child even though I am a child as well.

Ten years ago, when Cecily was two and I was 10 I found the opportunity for us to escape. I already had Cecily wrapped up with a bag ready to go filled with clothes and food. Father was supposed to be gone all day at a job but he came home early because he got into an argument with the foreman and caught me trying to leave. I really thought he was going to kill me. He had me down on the ground and was hitting me over and over again. I turned over on my stomach to protect my face and my hand touched a cast iron skillet. I grabbed the skillet and I hit father across the face with it. Then I jumped up and I hit him again and again and again until he was laying on the floor unconscious. Then, I grabbed Cecily, our bag of supplies, and fled.

I know I could have gone to the alpha about the abuse but he was one of dad’s good drinking buddies and always helped him find day jobs here and there. He would just have taken me right back to dad. All I knew was that I wasn’t going to let Cecily become a victim to his abuse. I had suffered enough in my ten years of life. The problem is Father won’t stop searching for us. He hated us and abused me while we lived with him but now he’s searching for us like he can’t live without us. It makes no sense.

So, fast forward eight years to present time and I’m now eighteen years old and Cecily is ten. We get by either by begging, stealing, or trading. We try to travel with groups but one of two things happen: either we smell our father’s scent nearby and know that he’s still searching for us and has gotten close or they eventually realize that my sister and I are different.

We both have long white hair and striking bright purple eyes. But what is really special about us is that we have white wolves which means we are healers, our wolves are as large as alpha wolves, and our wolves are extremely powerful so they are desired as mates or to be controlled. But, the rumours about our wolves’ abilities are numerous. So, once a pack of rogues realize that we’re white wolves either they throw us out because they believe we’re cursed, we’ll overpower the rogue alpha, or because we don’t want to mate with the alpha. I know it’s near impossible and probably a little foolish but I really believe in the mate bond and that the Moon Goddess will ensure that my mate and I find each other somehow someway so I’m saving myself for that person and I’m teaching Cecily to do the same.

Cecily and I are walking down a dirt road when we hear a warning that the crown prince is about to pass so we know to get off the road. I try to pull Cecily back into the woods but she doesn’t want to leave the side of the road. We watch as the procession passes us and once we get to about the middle of the procession they stop. A tall, muscular, dark haired man climbs down from his horse to walk up to Cecily and I.

“Who are you and why are you standing there?” The man asks.

“My name is Gracia and this is my younger sister Cecily. We were walking alongside the road when your procession came by and we stepped off the road to let you pass us by.” I answer, wondering if I’m talking to the crown prince.

The man in front of us looks back at another man on his horse who nods his head so the man turns around to face us again. “What alpha do you belong to?”

“We don’t. We are rogues.” I shake slightly answering this as it is illegal to be a rogue.

“Are you sure you don’t want to rethink that statement? If you are a rogue I can have you locked up in the dungeons.” The man says as his face hardens.

Dammit I can’t think of one single freaking alpha off the top of my head, let alone the alpha in this territory. Probably because the second man up on the horse that nodded his head is making my wolf go crazy! Grey keeps screaming MATE in my mind at top volume and doing all kinds of acrobatics. She’s acting crazy! So, I just stand there looking at my feet like they’re the most interesting things in the world.

The other man rides his horse alongside where we are. I smell a strong scent of the evergreens and cinnamon and it’s the most intoxicating smell I have ever smelled. “I am Prince Justus. You may go your way but please know that rogues are illegal in the kingdom. You may want to talk to Alpha Titian about joining his pack for this territory. We always need help at the castle. After you have joined his pack you could come to work and have a place to stay with meals so you can save up your money for whatever kind of life you want. Just an idea. If you want to tell him Prince Justus sent you. Here if he gives you any trouble you give him this.” The prince hands me a ring with an emblem on it. As I reach up to take the ring I glance at him through my eyelashes and he is the most drop dead gorgeous man alive and when I take the ring from him I get this bolt of electricity and sparks of fireworks course through my skin where we touch! Then the other man gets back on his horse and they ride away.

I’m left standing shell shocked. I can’t believe what just occurred. Not only did I admit to a royal guard that I’m a rogue and they didn’t arrest me, but I found out that the crowned prince is my mate, then the prince offered me a job, and gave me his signet ring in case I had any trouble. “Well, Cecily, what do you think? Should we risk joining a pack for a little stability? If we were working at the king’s castle could father really get to us?”

“I don’t know but I think we should at least try. Life on the run is all I’ve ever known and I would like to try something different. Having a roof over my head and knowing I have a meal every night would feel really nice. Plus if we’re both working think of how quick we could save money!” Cecily replied. I grabbed her hand and we took off towards town to the packhouse in the middle of the town.

Prince Justus POV

On my twenty-fifth birthday; which is a week away, my father will officially hand over the kingdom to me. When he does that Emil will become my beta, Jackin will become my delta, and Mack will become my Gamma. I’ve known Emil, Jackin, and Mack since I was in diapers and we’re all three best of friends. Today we’re out riding horses to just kill some time. Unfortunately whenever I go anywhere it’s a big to do and at the insistence of my father I have a whole entourage of guards that go with me.

So, today I hear one of the guards up front call out that the crown prince is approaching which I absolutely hate when they do that. A scent of honeysuckle and vanilla hits my nose. It’s the most intoxicating scent that I have ever smelled. So, I tell Emil to jump down and see who we knocked off the road and apologize. The first thing I notice is her white hair which is quite unusual then I notice her violet eyes. White hair with violet eyes should mean she has a white wolf. When I look into her eyes my wolf, Jasper, goes wild screaming MATE in my head. So I nod for Emil to find out more information. Well, instead of apologizing he gets snippy about her being a rogue. So, I have to step in to smooth things over and I’m enraptured by her mesmerizing eyes and scent again.

I finally get back to the castle and I hand my horse off to one of the stable boys. I haven’t felt this excited since I was thirteen and got my first kiss. I turn to my best friend and soon to be my beta, Emil. “What do you think? How do I go about courting her? She’s not a noble or a royal? I can’t just send a carriage to the forest and invite her to a ball! It’s not like she even has a front door.”

“Well, let’s give this a chance and see if maybe she takes your bait and comes to work in the castle.” Emil suggests trying to get me to relax.

“Do you know how many people we have working here? How am I supposed to know when someone new shows up? Do you realize my wolf was doing somersaults in my brain for her today? Do you know what that feels like? I can’t believe I found my mate and to know that she’s a rogue. Not that I care but this is going to be so complicated.” I’m completely exasperated now.

Please drop me a comment and let me know if you like the story or the chapter. I love all feedback both critical and complimentary. Also check out my other book Dragon Brothers. You can also go to my facebook page for chapter updates and updates on new projects. https://www.facebook.com/Sammi-From-Anystories-1020524119915